Mode Theatre

18 W. Van Buren Street,

Joliet,
IL60432

The stairs on the left of the current picture lead to the third floor which was the dancing school. The door adjacent to that door was a jewelry store. The far right side of the picture, next to the current parking garage (which wasn’t there while the theatre was in operation) was the location of the boxoffice. To the left of the boxoffice was the location of the entrance to the theatres.

One correction: The mode didnt have a balcony. The second floor housed the theatre’s restrooms and projection booth. Right inside the door of the theatre was the lobby with the concession stand and you could smell the popcorn cooking about a block away.

In its heyday in the late 50s and early 60s, the Mode was a great place to see movies. The building was and still is a three story structure. The second floor housed the balcony of the theatre and the third floor for many years housed Kelly’s School of Dance.